Powerglide Question

[DanStokes]

The engine builder I've been talking with thinks the Camaro (once I get a real engine) would do well with a PG and no converter. Says it needs a really low first gear. Any input on this? I'm not sure I follow his logic but he's built them this way for circle track cars and they worked well.

Help me understand........

Dan

[squirrel]

huh?

Is this a land speed camaro? that needs to be able to accelerate at high speeds? might need a close ratio 4 speed....don't want to drop rpm too much when you shift, from what I understand...or you will slow down instead of speeding up

[SpiderGearsMan]

a glide has like a 1.8 first gear -high
a hydro has a 4.08 first -crazy -1939-60s
a 700 would be great - deep first gear and overdrive

[BlackoutSteve]

'Glides need lots of converter and lots of rear gear if you want them to perform on a strip.

V8 'Glides have a 1.76:1 low, 6cyl 'Glides have a 1.82.

Modern TurboHydros (TH350/400) have a 2.48 1st.

[Mr4Speed]

I understand his thinking, but I don't think it's right for your application. Circle track racers will do all they can to reduce rotating mass so that they can accelerate harder off the corners. A common circle track setup is to use a PG with a coupler in place of the converter. It's a 3 fingered arrangement that goes in place of the converter to mate the flexplate to the front pump and then an external valve to bleed off the line pressure to the low gear clutch pack to act as a clutch. It eliminates all the weight of the converter and it's fluid or a clutch and flywheel assembly. One of the reasons that it works for them is that they only need to accelerate within a fairly narrow range-they just need to get it moving and then get it into high gear and stay there. They also will commonly use 2 speed manual transmissions with a really small diameter 3 disc clutch that bolts to an auto trans flexplate. I'm guessing he's thinking that the weight reduction would benefit your power to weight situation. As I understand it running at Maxton is more like 1 mile drag racing so I think the loss of gear sets would reduce your acceleration enough to end up in a net loss.

Am I correct in assuming that your car is fairly heavy? If so I would think the more gears the better-like a Nash 5 speed.

[SpiderGearsMan]

saw that in a winters ad 25 years ago
seems a bit hi dollar for a low buck racer